Into Madness The Story of a Dark Lady
by Lynxgoddess
Summary: What if Angel choosing Faith over Buffy in Sanctuary was the final straw that pushed Buffy over the edge? Warnings: Violence, cursing, and torture. Don’t read if you have a problem with any of those. Last Chapter Redone! 11/15/08
1. Broken in Flesh

1Disclaimer: Surprisingly enough: I don't own it. Joss and other people do.

Summary: What if Angel choosing Faith over Buffy in Sanctuary was the final straw that pushed Buffy over the edge? Warnings: Violence, cursing, and torture. Don't read if you have a problem with any of those.

We tended to forget what a Slayer is. First and foremost it is a demon, with all the urges and desires that it entails. The wants are simple: Hunt, Kill, Feed, and Mate. Demons are possessive of what they consider theirs. An act of betrayal can send even the most peaceful of demons into a rage. This was something the Scoobies forgot. It was something the Fang Gang forgot. It was definitely something Angel forgot. And it was just a matter of time until they regretted it.

Faith and Angel. Angel and Faith. How could he pick that slutty tramp over her? He had reassured her of his after he pretended to be Angelus to trick Faith into reveling she was enemy. He said that he did not love the brunette slayer. But here he was telling her to get out of his city and that Faith was under his protection. _I knew he had the hots for her. He's just like Riley, Parker, and my dad, they all run off the second some hoe comes along and offers to jump them. I'm not surprised by Faith. She always tried to take what was mine, no matter what she had to do. _All these thoughts occurred to Buffy as she watched Angel try to comfort Faith. Deep inside herself, she felt something break. All these years of being the Slayer, dying, watching those she loved die, and giving up her dreams had taken a toll. But this final betrayal killed the last shred of the old Buffy. The one man that had said he loved her unconditionally, even after she sent him to hell, chose a murderer over her. _Well, if there is one thing I learned from Faith: If you want something, take it regardless of the price. _Buffy smiled to herself. _Soon, they will know._

They would know she was gone. They would know the price they must pay for what they had done to her. They would know the lengths she would go for vengeance. And soon, they would know what it was like to see the end of the world.

A Year Later:

While the Scooby Gang had looked frantically for her, Angel helped Faith find a path to redemption. He stood by her when she faltered, encouraged her to forgive and seek forgiveness. The biggest regret Faith had was not being able to apologize to Buffy. Now, for redemption, she worked along side of Angel to fight the good fight. When they could find no trace of her the Scoobies determined that she had died and held a small ceremony in her honor. Joyce moved from Sunnydale and spent some time working in a gallery before she died of a brain tumor. Faith, Angel, Wes, and Cordy returned to Sunnydale to help with the Hellmouth.

On the first anniversary of Buffy's disappearance and supposed death, Giles, Willow, Xander, Oz, Angel, Wes, Cordy, and Faith gathered at the cemetery to visit her grave stone. Slowly they proceeded to the site. As they approached they noticed a figure standing near the headstone. The group stopped 7 feet away from Buffy's grave and observed the figure. She, the long black hair surely belonged to a woman, was short and her hands were pale. Then the woman spoke.

"Buffy Anne Summers... She saved the world a lot." Turning to face the gang, "Do you think she would have appreciated such a headstone? Carving the Calling she hated permanently for all to see?"

Giles stepped forward and spoke. "You have no idea of what you speak; Buffy would have loved the recognition of her deeds."

"Way to make her sound like an over conceited princess."

The woman turned around so the gang could see her face. Her long black hair was braided, her skin was lily white, and her eyes were red. Everything about her screamed: unnatural, inhuman, damned. Angel took a fighting stance. "You shouldn't be here, demon, this is a revered place."

"I wouldn't be casting stones, bloodsucker." She paused for a second. "You loved this girl, this Buffy."

Angel nodded. "I still love her. I will always love her...and miss her."

The rest of the gang chimed in proclaiming their love for Buffy Summers, calling themselves her family.

"I don't think a real family would create a grave for someone who wasn't dead yet."

They exploded in denials, accusations, and cursing. Finally, Giles calmed the group down enough and asked, "What do you mean?"

Faith moved forward threateningly. "Tell us or we'll kick your ass!"

"Now, now, firecracker is that any way to treat an old friend." The woman smiled in amusement. "To answer your question, what she is, is so much worse that being dead."

Angel asked. "Has she been Turned?"

The woman replied. "In a manner of speaking, yes, you could say that."

Wes spoke. "Give us a straight answer, we need to know."

The woman turned to her Watcher. "Watcher-mine, don't you recognize your slayer, tsk, tsk whatever would Ms. Calender think?" Switching her gaze to look at Xander, "Still got that crush on me, Xan, I wouldn't mind returning the favor." She moved towards Willow. "Dear, sweet, innocent Willow, what kind of friend are you? Not much of a witch either, you couldn't recognize my aura." The three were stricken, with tears flowing down their cheeks.

Angel grabbed her arms. "What happened to you, who did this?"

"You did this, lover, you damned me. Why didn't you save me?"

"You are strong enough to save yourself, B. Why didn't you?" Faith asked the woman.

The demon broke out of Angel's lax grip. The woman that was once Buffy Summers walked over to Faith. "Like you were strong enough to save yourself, Faith?" She ignored Cordy and Wes. As she turned to leave, the woman addressed the gang one final time. "My name is Jane Doe. Call me Jane." Walking away she started to sing.

"So I sneaked back and caught her with my man,

Laughing and kissing till they saw the gun in my hand

The next thing I knew they were dead on the floor,

Dark Lady would never turn a card up anymore."

Later that Night:

All of members of the Scooby and Fang Gang were too shocked to say much. Everyone agreed that research was needed to determine what had possessed Buffy. That was the only explanation. Faith, never being one for research, went off to patrol. Angel decided to go with her, in case of attack.

They had just finished off several vampires when a dart came out of nowhere and struck Angel in the chest, causing him to fall to the pavement, unconscious. Faith turned to run in the direction of the dart, when she was hit in the neck with another.

Jane walked out of shadows smiling at the two unconscious people. "Let the games begin."

At Giles' House:

The remainders of the gang were pitching ideas around when there was a knock at the door. Wes got up and opened the door, only to be pushed back when Jane walked in. Looking over the group, she knew she would have to take care of them so they couldn't ruin her plans. "I guess it would be stupid of me to tell you to back off because we both know you love me enough to try and save me anyway. So before I do anything more permanent, let me take this opportunity to tell you a secret. I am not possessed, infected by some demon, or being controlled. I chose to do all of this. Gotta love that free will."

Moving quickly forward, Jane broke Wes' neck and punched Cordy in her nose, sending bone fragments into her brain. Giles and Xander, she knocked unconscious. Then Jane rolled to the floor, avoiding a fireball Willow had thrown. She stood up and threw a book at the witch, knocking her out.

She surveyed her ex-friends. They had fallen, like good little soldiers. Little puppets that were too much fun to play with. Jane had her favorites. Like, a little child, she couldn't help but want to resurrect the good times she used to have with her toys.

"This is going to be so much fun."

At Jane's Base Camp:

Faith and Angel were both chained to the walls, still out for the count. Willow and Giles were locked in a cage, and Xander was chained to a table. Jane walked to Xander on the table. "Given that you've crushed on me for years, I am going to grant your greatest wish. I have a crush on you."

Lifting up a heavy rock Jane placed it on Xander's chest. Xander's eyes bugged out when he couldn't breathe. Giles and Willow were trying to get out of the cage and begging for Xander's life. Just as Xander was beginning to turn blue, Jane lifted the rock off his chest. Xander sucked a mouthful of air into his chest. After giving him a few minutes to adjust, "You didn't think I'd let it be over that easy, did you?"

Walking over to a small lever, Jane pulled it and a huge iron weight descended from the ceiling. She looked over at Xander and asked, "So what do you think, fast or slow?"

Xander's response was to cry and shake his head. "Please, Buffy stop this. Please."

Gently caressing his face, Jane spoke. "Fast, I think, teenage boys aren't known for patience."

With that Jane pulled the lever and the weight dropped onto Xander. He didn't even have time to scream as he was crushed to death.

Next Time:

Willow and Giles say bye-bye. And we learn more about what has happened to our old heroine.


	2. Broken in Spirit

Chapter 2:

11 Months Ago:

After the events with Faith and Angel, Buffy had silently left L.A. She traveled to Cleveland, despite the Hellmouth being inactive there, a respectable demon population resided there. One demon called, Sang Coeur, lived there. This was the demon Buffy needed. Even though she had forsaken her humanity, she was still bound to the rules of a Slayer and the consequences of breaking those rules. The Sang Coeur demons could remove that problem in a ritual by breaking the barriers placed on Slayers by the Council. _Poor Faithy, not even realizing her madness was the result of the spells anchored to the Slayer. I won't fall into that trap. When this ritual is complete I will truly be free to live up to my Calling: laying waste to my enemies. The ritual should also prevent any scrying or detection spells from finding a Slayer or Buffy Summers._

The Sang Coeur demons were not just going to do this ritual because she asked. Buffy would have to figure out a way to get them to agree to help her. Sang Coeur were tall demons with gray skin and were gifted with magicks, especially, those involving blood. _Blood..._ 'It's always about the blood.' As Spike would have told Buffy had things progressed differently. _The blood of a Slayer is priceless, even more so when willingly given._ That would be her bargaining chip.

The demons agreed eventually after she killed the old leader and gave several pints of blood. The ritual itself was amazingly simple. All she had to do was withstand several beatings, some torture, and dying a few times before proving herself free of human taint. All accompanied by a chant:

Broken in flesh

Broken in spirit

Broken in mind

Broken in soul

Broken in heart

As she is broken let that which holds her be broken.

Freedom in death!

Clarity in damage!

Let the Slayer be free!

And so Buffy Summers, who should have been the Golden Slayer, was destroyed. And in her wake, Jane Doe was born, a killer in the shadows beyond classification, as anonymous as the last breath of the dying.

Back to Jane's Base Camp:

Giles and Willow clung to each other crying and wailing in their grief. Jane walked over to Faith and Angel and inserted a needle into their necks to keep them out for a while longer. Turning back to Willow and Giles, Jane began to sing. "Einy, Meany, Miney, Moe, who will be the next ex-family member to go?"

Giles stood up and glared at Jane. "You are a monster. You killed one of your best friends, someone who loved and trusted you. Joyce would be ashamed of what has become of her daughter."

Jane smiled at Giles. "I think we have a volunteer! I'm so glad. I thought I was going to have to be the life of the party. And to address your incredibly stupid and pointless statement: One, I was a monster long before this past year: a Slayer is just a nice detached way of saying mass murderer. Two, Xander didn't love me. He loved the way I looked and how I could validate his useless life. Three, Joyce is dead, or about die... Cancer is such a bitch. Now let's get you out of that cage."

As Jane began to open the cage, Willow and Giles rushed her. Flinging one arm out she knocked Willow over and threw Giles out of the cage and slammed the cage door shut. Moving quickly, Jane drew a pair of handcuffs, grabbed Giles' arms and cuffed them together, and attached the chain to a hook in the ceiling. Nodding in satisfaction, Jane moved to a shadowed corner of the room. "Now, Giles, I spent a good amount of time thinking about how to savor this moment, and I keeping coming back to two things. You drugged me and left the Council feed me to a crazy vampire. And for another, you, a man of over 40 years, were willing to accept the fact that you were going to out live a 16 year old girl. That hardly seems fair. All of this brings us to tonight's entertainment: Sacrifice."

Jane emerged holding a knife and several jars. "Seeing as how you're such a coward anyway, I might as well get rid of any evidence that might suggest you have any balls."

Jane set her instruments on the floor and pulled Giles' pants and boxers down. "Wow, Giles you sure aren't much of a man are you?"

Then in one, quick movement Jane made Giles a eunuch. And he screamed. And Willow screamed. And Jane laughed. After she placed his special bits into the jar on the floor, Jane walked back into the darkness and emerged with a brown bag. Jane reached in and grabbed whatever was in the bag and rubbed it in Giles' wound. "I normally don't like rubbing salt into a wound but for you, Watcher-mine, I made an exception."

After several minutes of renewed screaming, Giles fell silent. Willow was huddled in a corner crying her little eyes out. Jane frowned at the man hanging from her ceiling. "I need to learn to be more careful with my toys...They die so quickly on me."

Looking around, Jane walked over to the cage and Willow. "Willow, Willow, look at me, I want to talk to you."

"You killed them, you killed my Xander. Go away!" Willow shrieked.

"Is that anyway to talk to your potential murderer, Willow? You really don't appreciate that position you're in. And what about Faith and Angel, you don't want them to suffer do you?"

Paling, Willow turned towards Jane. "I'm sorry. I'll be good, just don't hurt us anymore."

Crouching down to look Willow in the eyes, Jane spoke. "If you something for me, I will let you live."

"What about my friends?"

"They have to die, but if you do this it will be quick for them." Jane explained reasonably.

"... I'll do anything. Please don't kill me." Willow pleaded.

"But first you have to agree to do one thing for me, without question or else the deal is off."

Willow swallowed hard and nodded her head. "Okay what do you want me to do?"

Jane stood up and smiled sweetly. "I want you to clean up this mess."

Next Time: More Willow torture and the more Buffy revelations.


	3. Broken in Mind

Chapter 3:

Willow stared at Jane with a horrified expression on her face. She glanced around at the remains of Xander and Giles and swallowed hard. "How could you..."

Jane shook one manicured fingernail at her. "No questions, remember? That was the deal."

"But..." Willow began, and then hung her head. "I understand."

"Oh goody-goody gumdrops the genius understands!" Jane said sarcastically.

Jane walked over to the cage door and opened it. Standing just outside the cage, she waited for Willow to exit. As Willow walked outside the cage, Jane grabbed her and dragged her towards a previously unnoticed door. She dragged Willow down a tan hallway, through another door, and into a tiled room. Pushing her forwards, Willow landed in a corner of the room.

"You said you wouldn't hurt me if I agreed!" Willow cried.

"I'm not hurting you. You just stink. I think you might have soiled yourself during the entertainment." Jane said maliciously.

Willow flushed and looked away. "Why are we here?"

"That's a great question. I mean what is the meaning life anyway? Who decides what happens to all the little fries of the world? Oh, but you mean why are all the gang here at my base? Or why you and I are in this room?"

Willow just stared at Jane, with tears in her eyes.

"Okay to answer the last two questions: I want my revenge on the people who made my life hell. And you, Wills, are here to get a bath."

"What, how could you say we hurt you? We're your friends; we helped you!" Willow screamed, as she didn't catch the last sentence Jane said.

"I was the Slayer. I was meant to be alone. But you and your stupid Xander-shaped friend wouldn't leave me alone. You kept asking for more and more work, miracles, and saving from me. You ruined me!" Jane ranted. "But that's all in the past, now we need to worry about the future. So, strip!" Jane said with a smile.

"What!?"

"You reek. You need a bath. Take off your clothing, or I will."

Willow looked at her, so if to gauge whether or not Jane really would do as she claimed. Remembering what Jane did to Giles and Xander was motivation enough. Slowly, Willow reached for her shirt and peeled it off. Then she stepped out of her pants. Clad only in her undergarments, Willow paused. When Jane moved forward, Willow quickly ripped her bra and underwear off. Naked, she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around herself. "Good girl, Willow, you are such a good girl." Jane praised her.

"Now, I have thought about your relationship with Oz, and I have come to a conclusion. You like being a bitch. Why else would you fuck a werewolf? So, be a good doggie and look at your master."

Shocked, Willow opened her eyes and saw Jane grab a hose and point it at her. "The only good doggies are clean doggies."

Ice cold water blasted into Willow. She tried to turn and avoid the spray, but Jane kept up with her. After a few minutes, the water was turned off. Jane walked towards Willow, who was shivering with cold. Jane threw a bag at Willow. "Put those on and you can get started."

Willow opened the bag and looked inside. There was a tiny, brown leather halter top, brown leather mini shorts, and stiletto heels. "I can't wear this!"

Jane looked at her. "Yes, you will. Stop whining and do as you're told!"

Willow pulled the halter top over her head and after much wiggling it was on. And it was restricting her breathing. She could only take shallow breaths. The shorts went on next. They barely covered the necessary bits, and she couldn't move without the leather digging into her.

But they were on. Finally the heels, Willow quickly strapped them on and tried to walk towards Jane. Jane smiled at her when she fell. She walked over to Willow and patted her on the head. "You look hot, puppy. Don't worry about getting up, you can crawl. However, there is one thing missing from this outfit."

Jane pulled out a collar and put it around Willow's neck. "What are you doing?"

"You are my puppy until I say otherwise."

"But you said you wouldn't hurt me." Willow said.

"I'm not hurting you. I am giving you a chance to be happy at my side." Jane said, as she grabbed a leash and attached it to the collar. "Come on puppy, there's work to be done." Smiling, Jane pulled on the leash as she walked out the door, Willow trailing along behind her.

They returned to the room with Xander's and Giles' bodies in it. Suddenly, Willow lurched away from Jane and began to throw up in a corner. Her hope that this was only a nightmare was over. Giles and Xander were dead. Jane gave her a minute to compose herself. "Okay, puppy, time to get started...with Giles."

Willow slowly stood up and looked at Jane. "I will lower Giles down to the floor, and you will take care of it from there, puppy."

Jane released Giles' body, and it fell to the floor with a disgusting smack, spraying Willow with droplets of blood. Willow raised her hands and saw the blood on them. She had begun to open her mouth to scream when Willow felt a huge flair of pain in her back. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Jane holding a cane. "Get to work, puppy, or you will be punished. Bring the body over to the corner and get started cleaning this mess. There is a bucked and scrub brush over there."

As Willow worked cleaning up Giles' mess, Jane smiled at her and occasionally hit her with the cane when she started to slow down. Finally after about an hour and several hits from Jane Willow was finished with Giles'. She couldn't even begin to think how much harder it would be to deal with Xander. "Puppy, I gotta give you props. You just cleaned up the blood and body of the only father you've ever known at the request of his murderer. You've made me so proud."

The tears that she had previously held back starting falling. _How could I do that? What's wrong with me... I can't believe Giles is gone. Xander..._ Slowly Willow faced Jane and stared. There was nothing left for her, what else could make this worse? And then: "Xander time!"

Jane walked over to the lever that had dropped the iron on Xander and adjusted it so the iron hovered a yard above the remains of Xander's body. "Well... this is going to take awhile, puppy. You better get started."

Indeed, the mangled mess of flesh and bone had spread over a good distance. _That can't be Xander. It can't be. _Willow's mantra of denial ended when she saw what was left of her best friend's face. _It's really over. After all this time, Xander and I aren't together anymore... And I have to clean him up. Goddess, how can I?_ But she did. Willow began cleaning the table and the floor around it. As she was cleaning the table, Willow felt something slick and cold run down her back. Reaching behind herself, Willow touched the substance and pulled her hand around her back. At first her brain didn't comprehend what it was. _Red, viscous... BLOOD...Xander's blood, all over her. _Willow broke into a fit of giggles. "How fitting..."

"I agree, puppy. Here you are alive and well, covered in the blood of a friend you failed to save. Now that's ironic."

Willow was tired. She couldn't seem to cry anymore. Not even for Xander. There was nothing. No Giles, No Xander, No...OZ! What had happened to him? But Willow didn't want to draw Buffy's attention to him, so she continued to clean.

Jane could see a bit of light return to Willow's eyes. _She must have remembered Oz, finally. I can't wait to see her face when she finds out what happened to him._ Smiling, Jane waited patiently until Willow was finished. "I must say, puppy, you did a good job."

"So, you will let me go?"

"Yes, but don't you want to know?" Jane queried.

_No, I probably don't._ Against her better judgment, Willow asked, "What?"

"Oz."

It was just one word, hell one syllable. How could one syllable cause that much dread? "What have you done? Did you hurt Oz? Where is he?"

Jane slowly tapped her finger on her chin. "Oz...short, weird hair, plays guitar. Oh, yea! The werewolf. Willow, you really shouldn't date werewolves; they are demons, after all. And it's the Slayer's job to hunt demons."

"Demon...what did you do? WHAT DID YOU DO?" Willow screamed.

"You don't have to yell, I'm standing right here. As for Oz, you are better equipped to answer that question."

"What do you mean?"

"You're wearing him."

For several seconds Willow stared blankly at Buffy before her eyes widened with horrible understanding. Looking down at herself, she saw the leather shirt and pants. All this time, she was walking around in Oz's skin! _I really am a monster..._

"After everyone left the graveyard, I caught up with him. I captured him, forced him to change, and skinned him. You two are a match made in well...hell, I guess is more appropriate."

Willow could do nothing. She was defeated. All she wanted was to forget. Forget Giles, forget Xander, forget Oz, forget Buf-Jane, forget Willow. But she couldn't. It was all still in her mind, pictures, smells, sounds, memories. All so loud, she couldn't make them lay down. Willow looked frantically around for something..._anything._

Jane watched as Willow searched for something. She knew what Willow wanted: an ending. Well, they were best friends. Jane stepped forward and placed something on the ground in front of Willow before leaving the room.

Willow knew Jane was moving, but she didn't care. It took her several minutes to realize Jane was gone and look at what she had left. Leaning forward and picking up the object as though it might break, Willow cradled it to her chest. She sat like that before standing up and looking around. She saw Angel and Faith chained to the wall. She saw the cage that they were held in. She saw where Giles died. She saw where Xander died. She looked down and saw what was left of Oz.

While Willow was staring at the room, Faith and Angel began to wake up. Angel was the first one to regain his senses. He could smell blood, lots of it. Giles' blood, Xander's blood, and Willow's blood. What had happened? He could catch a scent of Oz as well. He and Faith opened their eyes and saw Willow.

She was standing before them, in a skimpy halter top and shorts. They could see the blood on her. Then they saw her eyes, empty eyes. And then the two saw what she was holding. She smiled at them. "I never thought it would end like this. I always thought we would go out in a blaze of glory. Not. They're all dead. Wes, Cordy, Giles, Oz, and Xander. She killed them. No, we killed them. The things she did. What she made me do... I can't take it..." Tears fell down her face. "I didn't think I could cry anymore..." Lifting the object Jane left to her temple. Willow Rosenburg put a bullet in her brain.


	4. Broken in Soul

Chapter 4:

Jane knew what was going to happen. She left it there, that shiny, silver piece of salvation. What could Willow do but give in to temptation? It's who she was, after all. So, the noise didn't come as a surprise: the sharp echo of a bullet passing through bone and flesh. Isn't that all we are in the end? People, rotting messes of skin and blood. But Willow's speech: it was a lovely, delicious poison, especially when it dripped into the Champions' ears. Those words were almost enough to make her love Willow again. _Wills, you always were my best friend..._ Now there were other matters to attend to: her soul-mate and her sister-Slayer. _Such a fun end-game this will be._

Angel couldn't believe it. This was a dream, a horribly vivid nightmare. But he wasn't waking up. The blood was still there, and Willow, dear, sweet, loving Willow was still dead on the floor. Her magnificent brain scattered like children's toys behind her by her own hand. What was happening? Last thing he remembered was going on patrol with Faith. _Faith, I saw her go down._ He looked around and saw her chained to the wall next to him, staring at Willow.

"Faith, Faith, look at me, you need to look at me." Angel began to say.

Jane had waited. Waited until Angel had overcome his shock to check on HER: little, lost Faith. There would be no more comfort from Angel anymore. So, she walked into the room. As she expected there was Willow's body lying on the ground, gun beside it. She walked over to Angel and looked him in the eyes.

Angel couldn't believe it. What was Buffy doing here? Had she come to help them? He watched her as she entered the room: taking in Willow and walking over to him. Then, he saw her eyes. She wasn't sad about Willow; in fact she looked almost happy.

"You've been asleep for awhile. It was merciful, I guess."

"Merciful, you knocked us out and chained us to a wall!" Angel yelled.

"On the bright side, you aren't dead... yet. Not like Willow, I always knew she was weak."

"Dead... what?" Angel tried to ask the question.

"Well, lets see, Wes, Cordy, Oz, Giles, Xander, and Willow are all dead. Did I forget anyone?" Jane tilted her head and pretended to look thought full. "No, I think I got everyone!"

By this time Faith was starting to realize their situation. "What do you mean, B, what have you done?"

"No more than they deserve for their betrayals, but that's in the past. You ought to be concerned with your future, what little of it there will be."

"Buffy, I know you don't mean this. Whatever has done this to you, we can fix it. I love you. Let me help you." Angel looked at her with his soulful eyes as he spoke.

Jane busted into laughter. "You really are a hoot Angelus. Did you want to be saved after all the things you did?"

Angel turned away for a second. "I love you, let me prove it. We can beat this!"

Finally, Jane nodded a closed look on her face. "You love me. You think you can save me. I'll give the chance."

Jane walks over to Angel, looks him in the face, and undoes his shackles. Once released Angel falls to the floor. Slowly, he raises his head to look at her. Jane continues to stare at him as he stands. Faith looks on, silent, afraid to interfere with the unfolding scene.

Reaching behind her back, Jane draws a sword from the sheath. She gently lays the weapon on the ground and backs away a few steps. As Angel looks at the sword a flash of memory overtakes him.

_"I love you."_

_"Close your eyes."_

_Then pain, so unexpected, sharp, persistent. I look. The hilt of a sword juts of my chest. I raise my eyes to Buffy's crying ones, why? Then I feel something dragging me backwards. I reach for her, save me my eyes cried. Why doesn't she move?_

Yes, he knew that sword. Forgetting it was out of the question. But why she had it here was a mystery. _Why doesn't she move?_ "What? Buffy, I thought you were going to let me help you."

"I am." She stares at him. "Finish me."

Angel opens his mouth to protest, but Jane cuts him off. "You've seen what I've done. I killed all your family and friends. I am no different than the things we hunt. You say you love me. Then save me. Save Faith. Be the champion."

She spoke just like she used to when trying to convince him he wasn't evil, he could be good. Buffy believed in him then; he would believe in her now.

"NO. Buffy you're stronger than this. You've done terrible things, but you can change. Come back to the light, to me."

"I can't. I don't deserve it anymore. For what we once had, I am giving you this chance. If you love Buffy, you will kill me." He still looked unconvinced. "I did it to you once. To save the world and the people I love, I sent you to hell. Return the favor now, Angel, please."

Seeing Buffy plead with him to kill her, Angel thought of his duty as a Champion: the world comes first. Again he looked at the sword on the ground. And he knew what he had to do. "No."

Immediately, the look on Buffy's face changed. The sad, pleading visage she wore was replaces by a cruel and ironic smile.

Jane smiled. Then, she rolled forward, grabbed the sword, and swung. Disbelieving, Angel stared at her. Faith screamed: a long, unbroken sound of mourning and horror. And Jane smiled as the vampire turned to dust. "I always knew you were too weak to love me."

Jane pivoted and moved in front of Faith. "In the end, there was only Faith to get us through the night."


	5. Broken in Heart

Chapter the Last:

What do you do when you realize all your dreams are about to come true? This was the question She-Who-Had-Been-Buffy-Summers, SWHBBS for short, was asking herself right now. The moment she had been waiting for was here: all her former friends, family, and loves were dead. Faith was the only one left. All her hard work and planning had brought it to her to this moment.

"As final moments go, this one isn't unfitting. You, the so-called Dark Slayer, and little old me, the Once Golden Slayer, fighting to the death, it's almost been a there killed that situation." Jane walked forward through the ashes of her love, entirely focused on the chained figure.

"I killed you on that rooftop years ago. You just don't have the sense to lie down." Jane taunted Faith as she suggestively ran her hands across Faith's stomach, fingers teasing the scar that remained. As she played her game, Jane remembered what it had been like to shove that blade into the other Slayer. Much as she had wanted to deny it at the time, the rush Buffy got from the feel of blood pouring over her hands was almost orgasmic at the time.

Faith glared at Jane from her spot on the wall. "I'll kill you."

"When you say it like that it gets me so hot."

"Laugh now, bitch, 'cause I'm going to break your pretty little neck."

Not bothering to hide her reaction, Jane did what Faith asked and laughed at her. "Promises, promises."

As if someone had severed her vocal chords, Jane's laughter was cut off. Instead of the disdainfully amusing expression she had worn earlier, the shadows on the now blank face revealed a dangerous knowledge lurking in dark depths. Jane walked over to Faith. "Do you know why I'll win?"

The question was mostly rhetorical, but the red-eyed monster continued anyway. "Because you're weak, you can't handle being alone. You needed Angel to save you from yourself; you'd rather die than face your actions. Poor little lost girl! Even if you kill me, I'll still win; you'll always be me."

"Let me go."

The words echoed in the barren room that had seen so much death. Willow's slack form was still leaking blood and worse things onto the concrete in a steady _drip-drip-splat-drip _pattern. The dusty remains of the Vampire Champion mingled in the blood and swirled in the air. It wasn't a plea. It was a command. It was what Jane had been waiting for. Instead of releasing her captive, she had one more test for Faith to pass. "Make me."

The challenge stood between the girl warriors, both with demon heritage, both fighting for vengeance, both wishing the utter decimation of the other. It was a gauntlet born of suffering and rage, and they both knew only one of them would walk away. Each girl was determined that it not be her.

With a muffled shriek of rage, Faith pulled at her bonds with all the strength available to her. A silent half-prayer crossed her mind, _Sineya, Eldest and First, give me the power to kill this fucking bitch!_ She didn't know if the First Slayer heard her, or the drugs had finally worn off, but Faith snapped the chains holding her and fell to the floor, the links of broken metal trailing from her wrists and ankles.

With the grace that only Slayers possess, Faith rose from her crouch to face the demon that killed her family. Rage coursed through her, a battle song that gained strength with each beat of her heart. Quicker than any human or most demon eyes could follow, Faith drove her fist into the damned Slayer's face.

Head barely rocking to the side, the bruise that formed from the force of the punch faded as Faith watched. Jane smiled in response. "You wanna go Faithy; we'll go."

"Shut-up and die demon!" The words were squeezed out from between clenched teeth.

What followed was a glorious battle. Kicks and punches were thrown around like sparks off a cut power line, each potentially fatal, but the real danger was still inside, invisible until it struck. Sometimes Faith would gain the upper hand, sometimes Jane would. But, neither could seem to strike that killing blow. As they both separated to different corners, Jane laughed.

"This is so much fun. All the others were too easy."

With the unneeded reminder of the carnage Jane had caused, Faith's determination solidified. In a surprising move, she dropped into a low crouch and let loose a powerful kick that brought Jane to the floor. "You won't be laughing when I send you to hell."

From her position on the floor, Jane smirked at Faith. Feeling the cooling liquid beneath her palms, Jane closed her hand and hung its contents into the Dark Slayer's face. Blood dripped down from her forehead into her eyes and onto her cheeks, a macabre painting done in red and rage. "I'll save you a seat. Give us a kiss."

Faith took a slow moment to wipe the blood out her eyes, smearing the rest across her face in the process, a war-mask that any would be wary of. And the fight began again. This time, Faith dominated the arena. She kicked Jane to the floor and grabbed Angel's lost sword. Sliding forward, the sword entered Jane's gut. She watched as Jane's eyes flutter closed. "Human weakness, it never goes away. Not even yours bitch."

For a brief second Faith looked at the body before her. She couldn't help but wonder how Buffy had gotten to this point. "You should have said something, B. We could have helped you."

She turned and began to walk away when she heard a voice speak. "You can't help the dead."

Faith turned and saw Jane stand. The Once Golden Slayer's hands went to the sword in her stomach, and she slowly pulled it out. The hole closed after the weapon was out. "Guess what, dumbass, I'm not human."

Not giving the other girl a chance to react, Jane threw herself at Faith. One punch had the girl on kneeling on the floor, disbelieving. "You did this to me. You stole my soulmate from me and now I'm nothing but anger and hate all stitched together."

With what little awareness still left in her, Faith noted that the not-Buffy seemed upset about that. Or maybe she was finally cracking underneath the damage the day had wrought. Despite everything, looking into the red eyes of Buffy Summers, Faith could help but be a little grateful. Grateful it was over, that she would be with her lost family, in heaven with the Scoobs or hell with Angel. Grateful that with her death, another might have a chance to finish what she started. And maybe just a little bit grateful that it was a sister Slayer, no matter how demented or fallen, that was going to be the one to send her into that final sleep.

There was no more witty banter between the two. There was only one thing left to for them. Cradling Faith's unresponsive body in her arms, Jane's arms loving wrapped themselves around the Dark Slayer's neck. Swiftly jerking her arms to the left, an almost inaudible crack lingered in the air. A final whisper drifted into the ears of the dead Slayer.

"Give the devil my love."

Jane left the room. She left the base, then the cemetery. She left Sunnyhell. At the outskirts of town she stopped. The demons would overrun the place. People would die. The Light Side would crumble. Hell would come to earth. Jane smiled. That's all there was really, for things like her.

"Darkness comes, where demons go."

End Fic


End file.
